


What we have

by darkmoore



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, M/M, inspired by promo vid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29194959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmoore/pseuds/darkmoore
Summary: "Are we breaking up"?Carlos' question after everything that has happened leaves TK reeling. An honest talk is in order.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 17
Kudos: 197





	What we have

**Author's Note:**

> I saw the promo for s2 ep4 "Friends with benefits" last night and this wouldn't leave me alone. This is a silly little thing. It's been written quickly, and for the first time in my life, not beta read. I just needed to get this off my chest. It's my first ever fic in this fandom, I hope I didn't mess it up too badly.  
> Full disclosure: English is not my first language and I'm somewhat sleep deprived. There might be errors, so I apologize in advance. Feel free to let me know what you think.

“Are we breaking up?”

Carlos’ question didn’t come as a surprise, the real fear in his eyes however, did. 

TK knew he shouldn’t have left, shouldn’t have walked out on Carlos after finding out that not only had Carlos not told his parents that they were boyfriends, but that they hadn’t even seemed to know Carlos was gay, at all. It had been a knee jerk reaction on TK’s part and one he wasn’t proud of. Problem was that all of his insecurities had come back with a force and it had left him reeling a bit. 

TK shuffled his feet, but forced himself to really look at Carlos. The way his lover, his _partner_ for a year now, seemed to wait for the fatal blow that would end their relationship. 

“Are you ashamed of me? Of … being with me?” TK asked instead of answering the question. He had no intention of letting Carlos go without a fight, but he’d like to make sure he wasn’t trying to hold onto something that would hurt Carlos in the long run. Carlos had never made a big deal out of TK being an addict. But he was a police officer, and sometimes it was all about the optics. 

Carlos’ eyes had gone wide in alarm and he opened the door completely, tugging TK into the living room before closing the door again behind them.

“No, TK, no of course not,” Carlos finally said and started to pace. “This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me not wanting to deal with my parents’ outdated views on ‘proper’ relationships. They never could accept that I’m gay. I’ve told them you know? But they’re in complete denial. I didn’t want to get into that argument again. And I didn’t want for you to get hurt over it. I’m sorry, TK.”

“Wow,” TK said, because Carlos’ parents were even more messed up than he’d thought. TK had guessed that Carlos maybe hadn’t told them about being gay to protect himself from rejection, but this was even worse. 

TK thought about his own parents and the easy acceptance he’d received from them. Owen especially had fought for him from the first day. TK knew his dad would always have his back and nothing TK could do or say would stop Owen from loving and supporting him; drug addiction and being gay included. That Owen would accept Carlos as TK’s partner and would support their relationship had never been in question at all. If Carlos made TK happy, then Owen was happy. 

But apparently that wasn’t how things had gone for Carlos. TK couldn’t really blame him for not wanting to get into it with his parents again. TK had to admit that he could have handled the situation better. He knew Carlos and should have trusted his reasons for not telling his parents. Instead, he’d fled. 

But once the first wave of panic had receded, he’d known he needed to fight for Carlos and everything they had built over the past year. They’d gotten through a fucking pandemic together and if anything, their relationship had only grown stronger and deeper because of it.

With a small sigh TK stepped up to Carlos, stopping his pacing. “Hey,” TK gently cupped Carlos’ face in his hands. 

Carlos tried to avoid his eyes. 

“Look at me, please?” 

After a moment, Carlos’ gaze found his. He still looked scared. And miserable. 

“I love you, Carlos. And I’m not giving up on you. On _us_. I’m in it for the long haul. We’re a team, remember? For better or worse. And if your parents can’t see what a wonderful person you are, then screw them. Their loss. We don’t need them to validate what we have.” He smiled at the hope that was spreading across Carlos’ face. 

“So no, we’re not breaking up. If you want to get rid of me, you gotta try harder because I don’t plan on letting you go that easily.”

“For better or worse, huh?” Carlos asked, quietly. “Almost sounded like a proposal to me, Ty.” 

TK could feel himself blush so he slipped his arms around Carlos’ waist and pulled him close, burying his burning face in Carlos’ neck. 

“Yeah, sorry about that. I know it’s been only a year and I know you’re probably not ready-” TK’s murmured apology was cut short by Carlos’ lips on his. 

When they came up for air, Carlos was cupping TK’s neck and then touched their foreheads together. 

“I don’t care what everyone else thinks. And I _am_ ready. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, TK. And the next time my parents decide to show up here unannounced, I don’t want to introduce you as my boyfriend, I want to introduce you as my husband.” 

TK smiled, giddy with happiness. He couldn’t believe this was really happening. 

“That almost sounded like a proposal to me, Carlos,” TK teased, mirroring Carlos’ earlier words. 

“That’s because it was meant as one,” Carlos replied and leaned in for another kiss. 

“In that case,” TK whispered, “my answer is ‘yes’.”


End file.
